This invention relates to a process for reducing carbon monoxide (CO) and carbonyl sulfide (COS) emissions.
A process for chlorinating titanium-containing materials in a fluidized bed reactor is known. Suitable processes are disclosed in patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,446,181; 2,701,179; 3,591,333; and 3,883,636. In such processes, chlorine, particulate coke, particulate titanium-bearing materials, chlorine and optionally oxygen or air, wherein at least one of these contains sulfur, are fed into a fluidized bed reactor under conditions which chlorinate the titanium and many of the other metallic impurities. Gaseous titanium tetrachloride, other metallic chlorides, carbon monoxide (CO), carbonyl sulfide (COS), carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gaseous products exit the fluidized bed reactor. The gaseous titanium tetrachloride produced can then be separated from the other metal chlorides and impurities and oxidized to titanium dioxide, a white pigment, or further processed to produce titanium metal.
Details of fluidized bed processes for chlorinating titanium containing materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,078 (""078). The ""078 patent also discloses and claims a process for reducing the emissions of CO and COS from the fluidized bed reactor effluent. The emission reduction process involves introducing an oxygen containing gas into at least one location which is downstream of the surface of the fluidized bed, as measured in its static condition, with the oxygen containing gas being introduced in an amount to convert at least some of the COS and CO to CO2 and SO2 which reduces CO and COS emissions. In the example given in the ""078 patent, the CO emitted from the fluidized bed chlorinator was reduced by 36.7%, and the COS was reduced by 92.5%.
In the titanium chlorination process, it is desirable to convert COS to SOx, where x is 2 or 3, and CO to CO2, because environmental requirements often require low levels of emissions for CO and COS. However, as stated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,911, while means are known to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide emitted, they involve addition of compounds which can be undesirable in the titanium dioxide pigment or in the process to make such pigment.
Carbonyl sulfide (COS) is known to be a fairly inert chemical compound. Furthermore, carbonyl sulfide is a known poison for many supported metal oxidation catalysts. Because of the above, catalytic oxidation of CO in the presence COS is a difficult problem.
There is a need for an efficient catalytic process for the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide in the presence of carbonyl sulfide and also to simultaneously oxidize-carbonyl sulfide to sulfur oxides.
This invention provides a process for reducing carbon monoxide and carbonyl sulfide emissions which are produced in a process for chlorinating titanium containing material in a fluidized bed reactor which evolves gaseous material including CO, COS and TiCl4. The process comprises contacting a gaseous material comprising CO, COS or TiCl4 and a gas comprising oxygen with a catalyst selected from the group consisting of (a) metal oxides comprising oxides of the formula, (BiaCobNic)yMo1xe2x88x92yOz, where a, b and c are from 0 to 1, y is from 0.01 to 0.75 and z is from 1.125 to 4.875; (b) a xerogel or aerogel, comprising Au, Rh, Ru and Co in aluminum oxide/oxyhydroxide matrices, of the formula [(Au1xe2x88x92(w+d)RhwRud)eCofAlO1.5xe2x88x92u(OH)2u]1xe2x88x92(e+f), where w and d are from 0 to 1, e is from 0.001 to 0.2, f is from 0 to 0.2 and u is from 0 to 1.5; (c) composites comprising Au, Rh, Ru and Cr, and cerium oxide and lanthanum oxide of the formula (Au1xe2x88x92(w+d)RhwRud)eCrf(CegLa1xe2x88x92g)1xe2x88x92(e+f)Ov, where w and d are from 0 to 1, e is from 0.001 to 0.2, f is from 0 to 0.2, g is from 0 to 1 and v is from 1.1 to 2.4; and (d) a supported metal comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pd, Rh, Ru and Cu, wherein said support is selected from the group consisting of alumina and carbon, wherein said metal is present from about 0.01 to 20 weight percent of the catalyst weight; at a temperature of from about 250xc2x0 C. to about 500xc2x0 C. to produce CO2 and SOx, where x is 2 or 3.
The present invention also discloses a composition of matter, comprising Au, Rh, Ru and Cr, and cerium oxide and lanthanum oxide of the formula (Au1xe2x88x92(w+d)RhwRud)eCrf(CegLa1xe2x88x92g)1xe2x88x92(e+f)Ov, where w and d are from 0 to 1, e is from 0.001 to 0.2, f is from 0 to 0.2, g is from 0 to 1 and v is from 1.1 to 2.4.
A further disclosure of the present invention is a product made by the process comprising the steps of: (i) dissolving precursor salts selected from the group consisting of Au, Rh, Ru, Ce, Cr and La in a solvent to form a solution or fine colloid; (ii) rapidly freezing the solution by immersing into a suitable medium to form a frozen solid; (iii) transferring the frozen solid to a freeze drying chamber maintained at a temperature ranging from about 0xc2x0 C. to about xe2x88x9240xc2x0 C. with a vacuum of from about 0.3 Pa to about 1.3 Pa until freeze-drying is complete; and optionally; (iv) heating the solid in air at a temperature ranging from about 250xc2x0 C. to about 600xc2x0 C. for a time sufficient to decompose the precursors.
In a typical titanium tetrachloride manufacturing process, titanium-containing material, carbonaceous material, chlorine, and optionally oxygen or air, wherein at least one of these reactants contains sulfur, are fed into a fluidized bed reactor. The titanium containing material can be any suitable titanium containing source material, such as titanium containing ores including rutile, ilmentite or anatase ore; beneficiates thereof; titanium containing by-products or slags; and mixtures thereof. Any carbonaceous material which has been subjected to a coking process or is substantially free of hydrogen is suitable for use in the titanium manufacturing process.
Gaseous reaction products from the fluidized bed reactor are cooled in stages to first condense and remove metal chlorides other than titanium tetrachloride, such as iron chloride. The remaining product from the reactor is then cooled to condense titanium tetrachloride leaving a non-condensable exhaust gas stream comprising COS and CO.
Since the catalysts of this invention are reactive to CO and COS, catalysts are useful for emissions derived from any process for the reaction or abatement of CO, COS, and mixtures thereof.
In the present process, the exhaust gas stream comprising COS and CO is oxidized to CO2 and SOx with an oxygen containing gas, where x is 2 or 3, in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst in a fixed bed reactor.
The catalysts useful in the process of the present invention can be prepared by a variety of known art methods such as impregnation, including variants such as ion-exchange, deposition and grafting; xerogel or aerogel formation; and freeze-drying. Other synthetic methods such as spray roasting or co-precipitation can also be employed. The catalysts of the present invention can be used in the form of granules, powder or pellets.
The impregnation technique typically comprises contacting the support with a solution of a compound of the catalytically active material or a solution of compounds of the catalytically active materials. The contacting is followed by drying and calcining the supported materials.
The xerogels or aerogels used in this invention typically comprise a matrix material which is derived from a solution of the matrix component(s) and which incorporates the active catalyst component(s) which is obtained from a dissolved component(s). A matrix is a skeletal framework of oxides and oxyhydroxides prepared by the hydrolysis and condensation of alkoxides and other reagents. The framework typically comprises 30% or more, by weight, of the total catalyst composition. The matrix material typically comprises aluminum, oxide/hydroxide xerogels or aerogels or mixtures thereof totaling from 99.9 to 30 mole %, preferably from 65 to 95 mole % of the catalyst composition.
The sol-gel process for the preparation of xerogels and aerogels involves mixing reactive monomers into a solution. The monomers are polymerized producing a highly cross-linked three-dimensional solid network gel. The composition, pore and primary particle sizes, gel time, surface areas, and density may be adjusted and controlled by the solution chemistry. The gels are then processed by either supercritical extraction or controlled slow evaporation of the liquid phase from the gel. Supercritical extraction of the gels results in a highly porous skeletal structure which is a low density aerogel. Controlled slow evaporation of the liquid phase from the gels results in a xerogel, which may be of high density. A detailed description of the great variety of synthetic procedures that can be used to prepare the xerogel and aerogel catalysts of this invention can be found in D. A. Ward et al. xe2x80x9cPreparing Catalytic Materials by the Sol-Gel Method,xe2x80x9d Ind Eng. Chem. Res. 1995, 34, 421-433.
In a preferred embodiment of the process of this invention, pre-formed colloidal sols in water, or aquasols, are used to prepare the xerogel or aerogel catalysts. The aquasols are comprised of colloidal particles ranging in size from 2 to 50 nm. In general, the smaller primary particle sizes (2 to 5 nm) are preferred. The pre-formed colloids contain from 10 to 35 weight percent of colloidal oxides or other materials, depending on the method of stabilization. Generally, after addition of the active (for the partial oxidation reactions, either as a catalyst or promoter) metal components, the final de-stabilized colloids can possess from about 1 to about 35 wt. % solids, preferably from about 1 wt. %to 20 wt. %.
Removal of solvent from the gels can be accomplished by several methods as described above to prepare either an aerogel or xerogel.
With respect to catalyst family (c) of the process of the present invention, catalyst composites comprising Au, Rh, Ru and Cr, and cerium oxide and lanthanum oxide of the formula (Au1xe2x88x92(w+d)RhwRud)eCrf(CegLa1xe2x88x92g)1xe2x88x92(e+f)Ov, where w and d are from 0 to 1, e is from 0.001 to 0.2, f is from 0 to 0.2, g is from 0 to 1 and v is from 1.1 to 2.4, were prepared by a freeze drying technique. Freeze drying procedures can accommodate several catalyst compositions, and are useful if the catalyst precursors are soluble in water or another solvent which can be rapidly frozen. Precursor salts are dissolved in the appropriate amount of solvent to form a solution or fine colloid. In a typical embodiment of the present invention, water soluble salts of Au, Rh, Ru, Cr, Ce, and La (for example, AuCl4, RhCl3, RuCl3, Cr(NO)3, Ce(NO3)3 and La(NO3)3) are dissolved in water prior to freeze drying. Other water soluble salts of Au, Rh, Ru, Ce, Cr and La can be used (e.g., acetates, acetylacetonates, hydroxyacetates, chlorides, nitrates, nitrites can be used. Colloids of cerium oxide (e.g., CeO2 colloids), lanthanum oxide, or metal colloids containing Au, Rh, Ru, or Cr, can be used also. Solution formation is preferable, but not required. Other solvent systems can be used, if they can be frozen. The solution is then rapidly frozen by immersion in a suitable medium, such as liquid nitrogen. If the solution is rapidly frozen (less than about 15 seconds), the salts and other components will remain intimately mixed and, in most cases, will not segregate to any significant degree. The frozen solid is transferred to a freeze drying chamber.
Freeze drying procedures can accommodate several catalyst compositions and are useful if the catalyst precursors are soluble in water or another solvent which can be rapidly frozen. Precursor salts are dissolved in the appropriate amount of solvent to form a solution or fine colloid. The frozen solid is transferred to a freeze drying chamber and the same procedures, as described immediately below, is followed.
Refrigerated shelves are used to prevent melting of the frozen material. The freeze drier can be maintained at a temperatures ranging from about 0xc2x0 C. to about xe2x88x9240xc2x0 C., preferably between xe2x88x9240xc2x0 C. to about xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. with a vacuum of 2-10 millitorr (0.3 Pa-1.3 Pa). After at least about 24 hours, preferably about 2-4 days, the dried sample can be calcined (heated) in air at a temperature ranging from about 250xc2x0 C. to about 600xc2x0 C., preferably about 350xc2x0 C. to about 525xc2x0 C., for a time sufficient to decompose the precursors.
The solution concentrations used in the freeze drying, spray drying and spray roasting experiments (latter two described below) can vary widely, and can range from 0.1 M to 10 M, depending on the solubility of the precursor salts used. After freezing, solutions are evacuated for a period of day(s) to week (s), depending on the quantity of solvent removed. In addition to ex situ calcination indicated above, catalyst can also be calcined in situ (in the reactor) to produce the final, active form. Catalyst precursor solutions can be soaked, added or impregnated into porous catalyst monoliths and supports, frozen, dried, or dried under various atmospheres and calcined as described above.
For catalyst families (a), (b), and (c) described in the process of the present invention, the catalyst precursors can be spray dried to produce powders. Spray drying procedures involve the use of solutions, colloids or slurries containing catalyst precursors or catalyst compounds. The technique consists of atomizing these liquids (usually but not exclusively aqueous) into a spray, and contact between the spray and the drying medium (usually hot air) which results in moisture evaporation. The drying of the spray proceeds until the desired amount of moisture in the particles is obtained, and the product is recovered by suitable techniques (usually cyclone separation). A detailed description of the spray drying methods can be found in xe2x80x9cSpray Drying Handbookxe2x80x9d, 4th edition by K. Masters (Longman Scientific and Technical, John Wiley and Sons, N.Y.) c. 1985.
Spray roasting involves the use of solutions or colloids, but generally involves drying and calcination (at higher temperatures) in a single process step to produce catalyst powders.
The amount of oxygen-containing gas should be sufficient to convert the exhaust gas stream comprising COS and CO to CO2 and SOx, where x is 2 or 3. Typically, the amount of oxygen-containing gas used will be about the stoichiometric amount for the complete conversion of the COS and CO. The ratio of oxygen in the oxygen-containing gas to CO will be from about 0.5:1 to about 5.0:1, preferably from about 0.75:1 to about 1.0:1. The ratio of oxygen in the oxygen-containing gas to COS will be about from 1.5:1 to about 100:1, preferably from about 15:1 to about 30:1.
Both air and oxygen are suitable oxygen-containing gases. Other suitable oxygen-containing gases are those which include, naturally or by addition, suitable amounts of air or oxygen, such as gas evolved from a process to oxidize TiCl4 to TiO2, nitrogen and combustion gas.
The sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide oxidation products can readily be scrubbed by known means. Release of the carbon dioxide oxidation product is generally not considered an environmental problem.
Generally, if the process temperature is too low, no or low conversion of reactants to CO2 and S2/SO3 will result. Increases in process temperatures will ordinarily increase catalytic activity, however, if temperatures are excessively high, catalyst deactivation can occur. Preferably, reaction temperatures are maintained between about 250xc2x0 C. and about 500xc2x0 C., more preferably about 300xc2x0 C. to about 400xc2x0 C., with lower temperatures within the ranges essentially preferred in order to minimize catalyst deactivation. The oxidation reaction can be done at atmospheric or superatmospheric pressures.
Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can, using the preceding description, utilize the present invention to its fullest extent. The following embodiments are, therefore, to be construed as merely illustrative, and are not to limit the remainder of the invention in any way whatsoever.